Thread: Move Forward the Opposition

• Tantawan Tuatulanon: The fearless young activist challenging Thai royalist establishment

Tantawan Tuatulanon, a political activist known for campaigning against royal motorcades, is back in the spotlight after her latest escapade sparked both public controversy and legal action.

After being charged twice with lese majeste in 2022, the 22-year-old was arrested again on February 13 and this time accused of sedition, breaking the Computer Crime Act, and causing a public disturbance. Sedition alone carries a penalty of up to seven years in jail as per Article 116 of the Criminal Code.

The new charges stem from an incident on February 4 when a car in which Tantawan was traveling chased the motorcade of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on a Bangkok expressway. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Natthanon Chaimahabud, had earlier honked continuously while the motorcade was passing.

After police blocked the car from joining the motorcade, Tantawan, the front-seat passenger, engaged in a heated argument with an on-duty police officer. She questioned the “preferential treatment” given to certain vehicles, saying it disrupted potentially urgent trips by members of the public. She also broadcast the argument live on Facebook.

Natthanon, the driver, faces the same three charges as Tantawan, plus insulting an on-duty official and sounding his horn without proper reason.

The duo was widely criticized for the stunt, even by the opposition Move Forward Party, which has relentlessly campaigned for reform of the lese majeste law, or Article 112 of the Criminal Code, claiming it is routinely used as a political weapon. The law makes insulting or threatening the monarchy a crime punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

The motorcade incident triggered a heated debate on social media that escalated into brawls between pro-reform and pro-monarchy activists outside a Bangkok shopping mall on February 10.

Several groups offered support for the popular Princess Sirindhorn, viewing the incident as harassment of a beloved royal figure.

Much more in the article

‘I have no fear’

• Move Forward gets more days to submit defence against EC's dissolution demand

The Constitutional Court has agreed to extend the deadline to May 18 for the Move Forward party to submit its defence against the Election Commission’s (EC) application to the court seeking its dissolution and its committee members banned from politics for ten years.

As May 18 falls on Saturday, however, the deadline is automatically extended to Monday May 20.

The EC’s move to disband the party came after the Constitutional Court ruled that the Move Forward party’s campaign to amend the lèse majesté law violated the Constitution and is deemed to be an attempt to overthrow constitutional monarchy.

The court had previously scheduled May 3 as the deadline for the party to submit its written defence to the court, but the party asked for a 30-day extension.

• Move Forward repeats call for enquiry into the party's dissolution case

The opposition Move Forward party has repeated its call for the Constitutional Court to hold an enquiry session in the party’s dissolution case, to allow the party to present witnesses, instead of just written submissions, in its defence.

Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon said that the case faced by the party is more serious that the one on which the Constitutional Court has already rules, ordering the party to cease its campaign to amend the lèse majesté law.

The pending case, which was submitted to the court by the Election Commission, calls for the dissolution of the party and the banishment from politics of the party’s executive committee members for up to ten years, said Chaithawat.

Since the severity of the two cases is different, he said that the party needs more time to defend itself, claiming that the 15-day extension granted by the charter court is insufficient. Nevertheless, he said that the party will do its best within the limited time provided.

The Move Forward party leader insists that the fact-finding process, to determine whether the party should be dissolved, has not yet been finalised, especially the issue of the party being blamed for attempting to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.

Chaithawat also said that the party’s MPs are not overly concerned about the prospect of dissolution by the court, with the matter having been discussed within the party on several occasions.

The party is scheduled to present its written defence to the court on May 20, after the court agreed to extend the deadline by 15 days.